What's New?
Services Launched for Young People Disaffected by Luzerne County Judicial Scandal
Advocacy Alliance and Partners Set Up Phone Line
and Informational Forums to Assist
Media coverage of forum held on August 27, 2009:
http://www.citizensvoice.com/news/juvenile_advocacy_group_holds_first_forum
http://pahomepage.com/content/video/?watch=1&cid=98851&shr=addthis
http://www.wnep.com/wnep-luz-advocacy-group-meets-with-youths-families,0,3055443.story
As the true depth of the Luzerne County Juvenile Justice System scandal comes even more to light, there is a strong statewide partnership in place to assist the young people and their families who were most disaffected by it.
The Advocacy Alliance, funded by the Commonwealth’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, has crafted a regional strategy to ensure that those affected by the failure of the juvenile justice system receive the support services and/or psychological counseling they may need to move forward.
“We are working very hard to reach out and assist those young people and their families who were caught in the crosshairs of this scandal”, said Alex J. Hazzouri, Chief Executive Officer of the Advocacy Alliance, “There has been a great deal of emphasis on seeking justice against the perpetrators, our aim is to help those disaffected by the failure of the system and to see that it never happens again, anywhere.”
Starting immediately, there is a toll-free Juvenile Justice Support Line, 1-888-558-3203, staffed by Family Peer Advocates from the Advocacy Alliance. Family Peer Advocates are family members of children involved in the community mental health system and they are specially trained to listen and help families and children disaffected by the juvenile justice system scandal in Luzerne County.
The Support Line can receive calls 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. If a Family Peer Advocate is not available, the caller may leave a message to receive a return call at a time most convenient to the caller. All calls are treated as CONFIDENTIAL and the caller will not be expected to leave their name. All calls will be handled with respect and understanding.
On Thursday, August 27th, the Advocacy Alliance will be holding the first in a series of Informational Forum for those young people and their families. The event, to be held at Genetti’s Hotel in downtown Wilkes-Barre from 5:45 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., is to share the latest information about services available, gather information about the effects of this scandal on the individual and family and to offer updated information about public policy efforts relating to the failure of the juvenile justice system. The Informational Forums will be professionally facilitated and the information garnered will be crafted into a report that will assist in a statewide process for permanent measures to reform the juvenile justice system.
Young people and their families disaffected by the scandal are asked to contact the Advocacy Alliance to reserve a seat at the Informational Forums. The Alliance’s toll free phone number is 1-877-315-6855.
A Facebook page has been set up where youth and their families affected by the Juvenile Justice Scandal in Luzerne County can have an ongoing conversation and share information. It can be accessed by going to: www.facebook.com/theadvocacyalliance.